Bitch in a Box: Holiday Gift Guide, Fool for Type Edition!

Many of us have someone on our list who is a big old typography geek. She's the person who hosted a screening of the documentary Helvetica, the obsessive typespotter who plays Kern Type like it's Angry Birds, the mad genius who regularly thinks things like, "What if typefaces were dogs?" (Or perhaps your type-loving pal is this guy?) If you're shopping for someone who loves type like Donna loves her Benz, you're in luck: There is so much type-related goodness out there in the independent marketplace, it's ridiculous. Here are just a few suggestions.

Prints and wall art

From the minimalist to the ornamental to the stright-up goofy, there's many a type-focused option here. Try Jessica Hische's site for lovely, slightly formal letterpress prints of, well, letters—they're like monograms for your walls! For a more holistic take on type and design, check out this Typefaces of the World poster, which shows where common typefaces like Bodoni and Neutraface originated, and where they are most often used. Other recommendations in this category:A poster that features all of the ingredients in a Hot Pocket, artfully and colorfully arranged. And then there's Friend of Bitch Kate Bingaman-Burt's print of the 500 Worst Passwords, which is available in several bright colors. Finally, for the giftee who resides at the geek intersection of type and science, thePeriodic Table of Typefaces wall decal is sure to be a hit.

Paper products:

Ashley covered a number of great calendars in her gift roundup, but I'm compelled to add one more, especially as it's made by former Bitch art director Briar Levit: Her 2012 "Interactions" wall calendar will impress even the hardest-core design smitty in your circle. (Plus, it's on sale!) If it's a planner you're looking to lay on your pal this holiday, Little Otsu is always a good bet. Their annual planners are dateless, so you can start them whenever; they're spiral-bound, which is always good; and their simple layouts feature hand-drawn type and leave lots of room for to-do list writing. Last in this category: Do you have a friend who feels like an a-hole handing out her business card when doing nonbusiness socializing? You might consider hooking her up with these simple letterpress calling cards from Bremelo Press. They're cute, colorful, and probably a lot more memorable the next day than a piece of cardstock that says "Bob's Accounting Firm." (Or, you know, "Bitch Media.")

Toys, jewelry, and whatnot

You know who always likes type? Kids. Well, they like letters and numbers, anyway. Etsy seller MiChiMaLAND creates stuffed felt sets that are as much covetable art as they are tools for learning. Their alphabet garland would make an excellent gift for the baby, toddler, or new parent in your life. The brightly colored letter sets come in both upper- and lowercase version, and in German, Hebrew, Spanish, and Swedish as well as English. Necklaces featuring a single, monogram-style letter have been popular for several years now. But if you're really looking to woo a type lover, you may want to raise your game with this ABC necklace from London design studio Study O Portable. Sure, it costs $500, but it's the entire alphabet. If it's too heavy or keeps swinging into your soup you can just repurpose it as wall art! Finally, this wooden ampersand cutting board from House Industries will make your pal's cheese and crackers plate awesomely literal. Previously: Illustrated Edition!, Budding Mycologist Edition!

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